Monday, January 10, 2011

Ashley Wood 1:6 scale ThreeA Badbot REVIEW I

A different kind of robot from the one in the previous post...

In 2008, Ashley Wood and ThreeZero's founder Kim created threeA, a Hong Kong based production house for designing, developing and manufacturing toys, posters, prints and clothing based on characters created by Ashley Wood. And out of the collaboration came the Popbot figures based on the series of graphic novels by Ashley Wood.

Popbot is a robot from the Popbot Universe and the title character of the Popbot comic books. Popbot used to be the roadie for Kitty's band until he became Kitty's bodyguard when Kitty began being hunted. The different variations of Popbot represent him at various points in time.

Zeroday Popbot, also known as "Day One Popbot" i.e. the day Popbot appeared when he was first created, was available only through the 3AA Exclusive 2-pack which also included the Tomorrow King General Showa. Day One Popbot looks too clean and orange for my liking although General Showa looks bada$$


Standard Popbot has just been released but I just didn't dig the "chain-with-hook" hand (not much you can do with that hook hand, articulation and poseability wise)



So I got myself the Badbot instead. This is my FIRST Ashley Wood Popbot 1/6 scale figure and I'm very pleased with it :) Box art is really NICE. This painting is all you see on the slipcase cover that goes over the box containing Badbot. The box itself is white with the threeA logo and words Badbot printed, nothing fancy.


All I could find out about this 14.5-inch tall robot figure is that "Badbot is a character from the Popbot Universe. According to Ashley Wood, Badbot was born from the shadow of Popbot." [source: threeA-wiki]


The Badbot figure comes with 2 long-barrel pistols and a kitty cat. There's also the shoulder bag.


Close-up picture of the 2 long-barrel pistols (you have to click the picture to get the BIGGER and BETTER view of the details including paintwork to make the pistols look rusty). Any true weapon handler and gunsmith will tell you to always clean and oil your guns to keep it in tip top shape because your life depends on how well you take care of your weapon as it needs to function when you expect it to. Obviously Ashley Wood has never been in the military or ever handled a gun because a rusty gun will get you killed as it could jam at the most vital moment when you need it to work. As you can tell, I'm not a fan of rusty guns. Make the world post-apocalyptic but make it real. Who goes into a gunfight with rusty guns? Most likely a guy with a death wist.


So enough with the guns, let's get back to the 14.5 inches (37cm) tall figure that is ThreeA Badbot.  The figure is BIG because it's tall at 1/6 scale but it's nicely done. Badbot has the used look to it, like it has been weathered and worn by the elements. It has taken a licking but it is still ticking.


There's the STAR symbol painted on the shoulder which I like.


The amazing thing about this 1/6 scale 14.5 inches (37cm) tall Ashley Wood ThreeA Badbot figure is that it is LIGHT! It isn't heavy at all. Badbot is painted to look like a rusty clunk of metal and it does LOOK metallic and heavy BUT is actually very light. Hot Toys 12-inch figures are much heavier in terms of weight.


What I also like about this ThreeA Badbot figure are the tight joints. Because they made the joints all nice and tight, you get a whole lot of articulation and poseability without worrying that the figure will fall over.


This 1:6 scale ThreeA Badbot figure comes with its own kitty cat. The Kitty figure was released widely as a bonus to the Popbot figures. Say "Meow" to Kitty.


Kitty a.k.a. Dothan is the singer for the punk group Funlicker 2215. Kitty is known for having taken advantage of many characters in the Popbot Universe and therefore is being hunted by The Gathering of People and Robots Wronged by Kitty League LLC. Kitty is often seen with his bodyguard Popbot, or in this case, Badbot.


The Kitty I got is the white flocked version. That are ten variants of Kitty.


By flocked, it means that Kitty is covered with a texture that is like a carpet effect. There is a velvety coating applied to flocked Kitty which isn't the same like the rest which is just plastic molded.


You can tell from the pictures that this particular Kitty is the flocked version with the velvety coating applied.


There was a Kitty Ten Pack, also known as "Ten Little Bastards In A Box", which was a limited release, random drop pack that was available exclusively at Bambaland during the Popbot pre-order. Here are possibly the other nine variants of Kitty, each randomly packed with Badbot or Popbot.


NEXT: threeA Badbot with guns blazing! C-ya

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